MLS Week in Review – Round 12 - 24th Minute

The twelfth round of MLS took place this holiday weekend and what a weekend it was; a lone midweek fixture followed by nine matches through Saturday and Sunday culminating in 29 goals – three own-goals and one from the spot, the return of the red card – five plus a second yellow to Chicago’s Well Thompson, resulting in three draws and four away wins, including a pair of 1-4 results.

The regular goal-scorers – Jack McInerney, Tim Cahill, Will Johnson, Dominic Oduro, Diego Fagundez, and Seattle’s trio of Eddie Johnson, Lamar Neagle, and Obafemi Martins - keep on scoring, while some old familiar faces contributed unexpectedly – Ned Grabavoy with a brace and Nathan Sturgis – and a handful of firsts for players just rounding into form – Kyle Porter, Joao Plata, Martin Chavez, and Robbie Findley (who should have had more, but wastefulness is what it is).

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There is an old saying that events even out over the course of the season; while that sentiment is debatable, DC saw a touch of karma when Kansas City’s Ike Opara had a goal incorrectly ruled offside after United had a pair of goals – both against Columbus – controversially ruled out in earlier rounds.

Before the results, the goal of the round nominees:

There were some beauties this weekend.

There was slick passing - in the return LA’s deadly passing counterattacks and New England’s wonderful first goal from Fagundez.

There was some stunning free-kickery – Chavez and Camilo – as well as an Olimpico, a goal straight from a corner kick, courtesy of Dallas’ Michel.

And more than a handful of dangerous crosses into the box leading to headed goals of a wonderful variety.

It is in that spirit that Kyle Porter’s goal – yes, a bit of a homer pick – takes the honours this round, not just from the craftsmanship and finish, but for what it meant to a struggling DC United side.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

Opara’s disallowed finish spared DC blushes in the first half, but only delayed the inevitable – DC falling behind after 60 minutes thanks to an own-goal from Ethan White, after Opara had missed making contact with a Graham Zusi corner kick and the service slammed in off the head of the DC defender.

But instead of letting heads drop and allowing the cruel twist of fate - and a losing streak – to hamper their efforts, DC redoubled their efforts and rebounded.

Nick DeLeon battled hard in the deep corner of the left-side the pitch to recover a loose ball and played it back to Chris Pontius – who returned to the lineup after an injury induced spell on the sidelines.

Pontius took a touch to settle the ball onto his right-foot and curled a deliciously inviting ball to the back-post.

Porter, alert to the possibilities, made a run off the back-shoulder of KC left-back Seth Sinovic, pouncing on the opportunity.

Sinovic was in decent position, ball-side, but not goal-side, and scrambling. Porter’s stretching right-leg got there first, touching the ball low across the keeper, Jimmy Nielsen, for his first goal in MLS.

The goal – and the draw it led to – ended DC’s club record losing streak at seven matches and stopped their winless streak – eight – from tying another hallmark of shame. United collect their first point in over two months of league play, stretching back to March 16th when they drew 0-0 with New York.

That lone point, though a small victory, could be just what the club needs to turn around their season.

Porter has been a fine addition to the side; his play has deserved a goal and the recognition that comes with it.

Results in Brief

Philadelphia 1 – Los Angeles 4

The return of Robbie Keane spurred Landon Donovan to a three-point night – a goal and two assists – and snapped a two-game losing streak for the defending champions with a powerful second-half display.

Zac MacMath flubbed a corner kick in the third minute, whiffing on a swatted clearing attempt before the ball struck him in the face and bounded in off the bar. Amobi Okugo leveled for Philly twenty minutes later with a free header from a long Sheanon Williams throw – the third such goal for the Union this season.

But the second half was LA’s, taking advantage of Philadelphia pushing forward to hit on the counter - firstly through some slick passing on the right that allowed Donovan to slide in Keane for a low finish across the keeper, then from Hector Jimenez who finished similarly after Donovan had found him in space on the right with the defenders sucked in-field, before Donovan himself rounded out the result on an 87th minute counterattack when Keane charged down the left, drew the defenders towards him and slipped to Donovan on the right to grace past the keeper and finish into the open net.

John Hackworth must address his side’s inability to secure points at home with an eye to Saturday’s meeting with Chicago and limit those hurtful defensive miscues; while Bruce Arena’s Galaxy can head into their Sunday match in New York confidently, if a little worn from the travel and short rest.

Toronto 0 – Columbus 1

Toronto managed to avoid another late-game collapse, but it mattered not; the damage had already been done. Much has been made of their frailty in the final fifteen minutes, but the close of the first half has been equally troublesome.

Dominic Oduro’s goal in 42nd minute was the fifth allowed by TFC in the final third of the opening frame – added to the seven at the end of the match a full twelve of their sixteen goals against have come in the waning moments of a half.

Credit must go to Federico Higuain, whose alert play - when most had slowed after a possible foul on Justin Braun by Tyson Wahl – put a weighted through-ball into the path of Oduro, who outpaced Doneil Henry for a right-footed side-boot poke past Joe Bendik in net for the game’s only goal.

Higuain was in form that day, twice hitting the woodwork from distance, and was destined to have a role in snapping Columbus’ two game-losing and scoreless streaks.

Ryan Nelsen, despite new arrivals, was left shaking his head at the repeated failure of his Toronto side to display the character required to turn losses into wins, while stretching a winless run to nine matches and losing streak to four; Robert Warzycha’s crew continued their domination over Trillium rivals, having won nine and drawn seven of their seventeen all-time meetings.

Vancouver 2 – Portland 2

The second Cascadia Cup match of the season ended much as the first had, all level, after Portland dug deep to draw in the final 84th minute – against Seattle during Rivalry Week in was a 90th minute equalizer for the Timbers.

Vancouver took the lead through Camilo - a sumptuous free-kick beyond the reach of the wall and Donovan Ricketts in the 24th. Will Johnson equalized seven minutes into the second half from the spot after Andy O’Brien was adjudged to have blocked a shot from the Canadian with his arm. Camilo then turned provider to tee up Gershon Koffie two minutes on for a thunderous effort from the top of the box, before Futty Danso was harshly dismissed for a tangle with the troublesome Brazilian in the 81st.

But Caleb Porter’s Timbers simply do not quit, down a man and a goal, Johnson (Will, not Ryan) sent a hopeful punt into the box from the centre-circle in the 84th. Jose ‘Trencito’ Valencia, the little train himself, showed a bit of class – and potentially a bit of handball – when he beat Brad Rusin in the air, collected the delivery, confidently evaded O’Brien and rolled a finish cheekily past Brad Knighton in goal to tie the match and maintain their impressive ten-match unbeaten run.

Martin Rennie’s bizarre Voyageur’s Cup lineup midweek was in part designed to advance their chances of taking a first win against Pacific Northwest rivals – which it did not - and could yet come back to haunt given Montreal’s strength and discipline on the road. Can anyone stop Porter’s Portland?

Philadelphia 1 – Chicago 0

Hackworth’s Union rebounded from their midweek hammering to snap that home winless run at three in the back-end of their protracted home-and-home series against Chicago.

No surprise that their lone goal came from red-hot striker, Jack McInerney – his league-leading eighth of the season – who, as he did in their meeting last weekend, got on the end of a wonderful delivery from Sebastian Le Toux to doom the fire to a third-straight shut-out loss.

For Le Toux, who has been relegated to the bench given the strong partnership between McInerney and Conor Casey, to collect his fourth assist of the season and tie the long-jam on that number for the league-lead, is a measure of his usefulness to the side.

While Hackworth will be pleased with their effort, his opposite, Chicago coach, Frank Klopas, must address the Fire’s deficiencies at both ends of the pitch having scored a mere six goals through ten matches and conceded sixteen without the aid of veteran German defender, Arne Friedrich, who continues to struggle with a nagging hamstring issue.

Houston 0 – New England 2

Broken walls don’t mend easily, as Houston found out on Saturday, by following up the home loss against Kansas City that ended their momentous streak with another, losing consecutive matches at home for the first time since 2010.

A fractious match that saw Bobby Boswell and Dimitry Imbongo dismissed for an ugly clash – a head-butt from the former that saw the latter throw him to the ground in response – came to life six minutes into the second half when some excellent passing from the reconstituted Revolution played in Diego Fagundez for his third goal in their last five matches.

Lee Nguyen and Juan Agudelo, making his debut for the club, were involved in the build-up, but it was a clever one-two with Clyde Simms and a slicing, juking run from Fagundez that carved open the second-choice Houston back-line - with Boswell off and Taylor subbed due to injury.

Agudelo and Nguyen combined to craft the second as well, with a clever back heel of a Nguyen pass into the path of Chris Tierney stretching the defense and a follow up shot from Agudelo caroming off the head of Ricardo Clark to trickle over the line before Eric Brunner could clear.

Externally cool Dominic Kinnear will rage behind closed doors at the sloppiness and lack of response from his Dynamo; Jay Heaps will beam with pride as his high-pressure game-plan and revolving attack has sprung to life in recent matches, even if results have been hard to come by.

Seattle 4 – Dallas 2

This match had it all and will live long in the memory of spectators and pundits alike.

An early candidate for Match of the Season saw Seattle surge ahead with two first half goals from Johnson and Neagle – both on quick breaks, with an Ossie Alonso header playing Johnson behind the back-line and a Brad Evans through-ball doing the same for Neagle - before the ever-important Michel set up Kenny Cooper for an unmarked header from one of his patented left-footed free-kicks, before placing one in himself, straight from a corner kick – the old Olimpico – with Cooper repaying the favour by hampering the ability of Michael Gspurning to attack the ball.

Undeterred, Johnson nabbed his brace within a minute of the score being leveled – with Shalrie Joseph playing into Neagle, who turned Matt Hedges easily and slipped to Johnson darting across the box to round the keeper and slot high into the net.

Blas Perez was controversially dismissed for an apparent elbow on Leo Gonzalez that left the left-back bloodied before Obafemi Martins nabbed a clincher in the 83rd – with a low finish from a squared Evans ball, after Johnson’s header from a Neagle cross was parried – for his third goal in five appearances.

Sigi Schmid’s resurgent Sounders, having struggled with dual duty in the Champions League and MLS early in the season, are now unbeaten in six, having won three straight – including back-to-back four-goal outputs. Schellas Hyndman’s Dallas saw their unbeaten run snuffed out at nine games and their lead at the top of the table – both in the West and the Supporter’s Shield race - diminished.

San Jose 1 – Colorado 1

The final tilt of Saturday night, running concurrently with the Seattle-Dallas affair, pitted the limping Earthquakes against the sturdy Rapids.

The opening goal in the 26th minute – for Colorado – came from an unexpected source, Nathan Sturgis.

The proto-typical MLS journeyman – formerly of Toronto FC, for a spell, amongst others – playing with the seventh team of his eight-year career, scored his first goal since 2010 with a deft touch at the near-post from a right-sided Martin Rivero corner kick.

Marvin Chavez, available after his suspension for elbowing Logan Emory was reduced from two matches to one, leveled the score in the 78th with a knuckling left-footed free-kick that resulted in goalkeeping sensation, Clint Irwin’s look of befuddled exasperation at how it dipped and swerved in flight.

Homegrown centre-back – and US youth international - Shane O’Neill, who stepped up admirably to perform in the midst of the Rapids injury crisis, was sent off for a last-man, denial of a goal-scoring opportunity foul on Chris Wondolowski in the final minute of regulation, but San Jose could not capitalize on the minute (small, time-wise) advantage.

Frank Yallop’s San Jose have struggled – with fitness and suspension – to show the form that served them well last season and must now brace for a hectic spell with six of their next seven matches on the road. Oscar Pareja’s Colorado continue to impress, despite the adversity that has pock-marked their lineup, and are now unbeaten in four – with four wins in their last seven matches.

New York 1 – Los Angeles 0

Another high-profile match that appeared destined to be a damp-squib until Tim Cahill leapt in the 91st minute to apply a little Aussie-bred, English to a Juninho free-kick.

A clash of the money-laden titans, East-meets-West, the Cup Final the league desperately wants - whatever moniker best applies; whenever the two premier clubs of MLS get together the potential for action is usually stifled by the occasion.

Dour is too harsh a word, perhaps hard-fought or tight would be better, but up until stoppage time one had the impression that a scoreless draw was on the cards.

LA, tired from their travels and midweek exertion, were caught napping by New York’s trio of big-named talent: Juninho, the dead-ball maestro with the delivery – a curling, left-sided free-kick towards the back-post; Thierry Henry, fairly impeding the marking of Omar Gonzalez just enough so that Cahill could leap and flick a back-header in at the death – his fourth in the last five matches.

Mike Petke’s Red Bull stretch their unbeaten run to six, extending their lead in top spot in the East, while Bruce Arena’s Galaxy lose for the third time in their last four outings.

DC 1 – Kansas City 1

A touch of controversy, as described above, when Ike Opara’s goal was incorrectly ruled offside was enough good fortune to see a DC United side, mired in a long seven-match losing streak, pick up their first point in ages against one of the class sides in MLS.

Opara’s chalked off strike was, in part, amended by his role in Ethan White’s 60th minute own-goal – with the big centre-back’s soaring leap blocking the view of the DC defender paving the way for the Zusi corner kick to bounce off his head and past Bill Hamid in goal.

DC heads, shaken by the own-goal, including the fit-again Chris Pontius, did not drop. Instead they dug deep and found an equalizer five minutes later, with Kyle Porter scoring his first in MLS – and earning goal of the round plaudits in this review.

Yes, there were nervous signs in the final twenty minutes with KC attacking in waves in search of a just winner, but Hamid and United held firm to snap that losing streak and – hopefully – begin to turn their dreadful season.

Ben Olsen will take heart in the point and look to build upon it next week in an equally tough fixture against Portland; Peter Vermes will lament the injustice publicly, but will privately be concerned by his side’s lack of finish against the league’s bottom-dwellers, having previously lost to Toronto and drawn with Chicago and New England.

Chivas 1 – Salt Lake 4

The final match of the round late on Sunday evening was over before it really began with Ned Grabavoy – of all folks; continuing a there with his first since 2010 – grabbing the opening goal in fourth minute of play, after a scuffed Javier Morales shot fell kindly to him on the left with an unobstructed path to goal.

The second half began in a similar fashion, with the diminutive Joao Plata scoring his first of the season three minutes after the restart when Kyle Beckerman’s header played him down the left for a tidy finish over the sliding Dan Kennedy in goal.

Jorge Villafana drew one back for the Ameri-Goats with a looping header across the keeper from the back-post after Edgar Mejia floated a ball from the right end-line, but Salt Lake continued to attack in number, decimating Chivas’ suicidal, high back-line with Robbie Findley and Grabavoy adding a further goals to round out the scoring.

For El Chelis’ herd it was a fifth loss in their last six matches, following a promising – if shocking – start to the season with extended stumbles. Jason Kreis, on the other hand, has seen his since win three of their last four to leapfrog Portland into second place in the West behind Dallas.

CanCon

As usual, the extended look at Canadian performances this week will be up midday tomorrow (Tuesday) – featuring goals from Porter and Johnson, who went on to shush the hostile Vancouver crowd after scoring from the spot and a Drew Beckie sighting in Toronto, if only in the reserves.

Overheard

When asked about his NBA-inspired pick on Gonzalez, Thierry Henry responded “I watched the Knicks game, I tried to pick up some stuff from the guys on TV. If you look at the replay, I don’t touch him. I just stand by him and when he turns, he runs into me then Tim gets a couple of steps to be ahead of the game.”

While Ben Olsen, in response to his side ending their streak of woe, responded bluntly, “It beats losing.”

See It Live

Chivas Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy took a free-kick against Salt Lake in the latest curveball from the mind of El Chelis, perhaps in the hope of some Jose Luis Chilavert-style magic. It nearly ended in tragedy with Kennedy forced to hustle back when his attempt did not clear the wall.

Ike Opara’s incredulous reaction when his goal was called offside was an entertaining bit of tantruming, while the abuse suffered by the corner flag after New York scored – Cahill’s boxing routine followed by a swift Juninho kick – left it sagging sadly for the duration of the match.

Upcoming Fixtures

Saturday: DC-Portland; Montreal-Philadelphia; New England-Toronto; Dallas-San Jose; Colorado-Chivas; Salt Lake-Chicago. Sunday: Kansas City-Houston; New York-Columbus; Los Angeles-Seattle

Parting Thoughts

A few questions to ponder and discuss:

New faces, same result for Toronto, against a depleted Columbus no less, is the late-goal thing a mental problem or a formational one? And is it solely the curse of TFC or MLS in general?

Montreal’s bye week leads into an important stretch as they look to hold off the challenge of Philadelphia next weekend before the second leg of the Voyageurs Cup in Vancouver on Wednesday next and a trip to Kansas City the following weekend. Can they handle the pressure or are they due for a fall? Will their defensive injury concerns have benefitted from an extended break?

Vancouver is off until next week’s Voyageurs Cup Final; will the rest serve them well or will Rennie’s lineup tinkering come back to haunt?

Was that lucky point enough to kick-start DC’s floundering season? Will Dallas fall back to earth after a humbling loss in Seattle? Can San Jose do on the road that which they have struggled to do at home, namely win? And how long before Seattle is back near the top of the West, where they belong? Is there another trio in the league as threatening as the Johnson-Neagle-Martins triumvirate?

Is New England for real? Or was Houston easy pickings, shaken by the loss at home? How good will the rematch between the Dynamo and Sporting be on Sunday? Can New York – and Tim Cahill – continue their good form?

And will Los Angeles rebound from a disappointing few weeks against the dangerous Sounders in Sunday night’s marquee fixture?

So many questions, so much intrigue a mere third – or so – of the way through the season. Enjoy the matches.

Until next weekend.

Each week James takes a look at the league as a whole.

You can follow James on twitter @grawsee or read more of his writing at Partially Obstructed View

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MLS Week in Review – Round 12

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